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Aug. 14, 2025, 7 p.m.
SBU arrests 12 of Medvedchuk's associates
Цей матеріал також доступний українською214
Viktor Medvedchuk. PHOTO: Reuters
The Security Service of Ukraine has detained accomplices who are conducting information attacks in Ukraine on behalf of Russia.
This was reported by the SBU.
The collected evidence base reveals a large-scale network of information saboteurs operating under the leadership of Viktor Medvedchuk. According to the SBU, this group, which was hiding in Moscow under the name "Other Ukraine," was engaged in media attacks on the country, and its activities were financed and coordinated by the Russian FSB. Key testimony was provided by Kirill Molchanov, a political expert from Medvedchuk's pool who was detained in Poland. The investigation found that he worked for two of the aggressor's special services, and his phone contained correspondence with the first deputy of the FSB's fifth service, Lieutenant General Georgy Grishayev.
The propagandists were engaged in justifying Russian aggression, discrediting Ukraine in the international arena, and trying to undermine the internal situation in partner countries. Medvedchuk himself approved the creation of the organization personally with Putin, and then formed a staff of top management and propagandists from his sanctioned TV channels. They prepared and distributed anti-Ukrainian content through controlled telegram channels, YouTube and the Voice of Europe mouthpiece.
Based on the evidence gathered, the SBU served Medvedchuk and his subordinates, who are currently hiding in Russia, with a notice of suspicion in absence. The detained Molchanov faces life imprisonment for high treason, and the investigation continues to bring all those responsible to justice. The list of accused includes:
- Denis Zharkikh
- Artem Marchevsky
- Roman Kovalenko
- Ruslan Kalynchuk, a priest of the UOC-MP
- Jan Taksiur
- Yuriy Dudkin
- Ruslan Kotsaba
- Natalia Khoroshevska
- Bogdan Giganov
- Oleg Yasinsky
- Oleksandr Lazarev
Among them is a deputy of the Odesa City Council, Bohdan Hihanov, previously elected from the OPFL party, known for systemic Russian propaganda and calls for Ukraine's surrender, arguing that this is the only reasonable solution.
The crimes of the defendants are qualified under several articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, namely: public calls for the violent change or overthrow of the constitutional order, high treason under martial law, collaboration, violation of the equality of citizens and justification of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation. In addition, Medvedchuk's detained associate Kirill Molchanov was separately notified of additional suspicion of working for enemy special services, for which he faces life imprisonment.
